UPSIFS National Moot Court Competition 2026
The UPSIFS National Moot Court Competition 2026 is the first edition of the national moot court competition organised by the Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science (UPSIFS), Lucknow. The competition will give law students an opportunity to develop their legal research, memorial drafting and oral advocacy skills.
The competition will take place in two phases. The Preliminary Rounds will take place online on 15–16 October 2026. The Researcher’s Test and the advanced oral rounds will take place offline at UPSIFS, Lucknow on 30–31 October 2026.
About the Competition
The School of Law, Forensic Justice & Policy Studies at UPSIFS is organising the competition through its Moot Court Committee. UPSIFS follows a multidisciplinary approach that combines law, forensic science, technology and public policy.
The competition aims to promote practical legal learning. Participants will work on legal research, written submissions and oral advocacy. The format will also test the research skills of the designated researcher in each team.
The official language of the competition is English. Participants must also follow the prescribed formal court dress code.
Eligibility
The UPSIFS National Moot Court Competition 2026 is open to students enrolled in:
- A three-year LL.B. programme; or
- A five-year integrated law programme.
Students enrolled only in postgraduate or diploma programmes cannot participate.
Multiple teams from the same institution can participate. However, each team must submit the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) in the prescribed format.
Team Composition
Each team must have a minimum of two members and a maximum of three members.
A three-member team will have:
- Two Speakers
- One Researcher
A two-member team will have:
- Two Speakers
- One Researcher who also serves as a Speaker
Teams must declare the names and roles of their members during registration. The Organising Committee generally will not allow changes after registration closes.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration Opens | 25 August 2026 |
| Last Date to Seek Clarification | 15 September 2026 |
| Last Date of Registration | 15 September 2026 |
| Memorial Submission | 5 October 2026 |
| Draw of Lots & Memorial Exchange | 10 October 2026 |
| Preliminary Rounds | 15–16 October 2026 |
| Researcher’s Test | 30 October 2026 |
| Quarter-Final Rounds | 30 October 2026 |
| Semi-Final Rounds | 30 October 2026 |
| Final Round & Valedictory Ceremony | 31 October 2026 |
The brochure states that the Preliminary Rounds will take place online, while the later rounds will take place offline at UPSIFS, Lucknow.
Competition Format
The competition has two phases.
Phase I: Online Preliminary Rounds
The Preliminary Rounds will take place through Microsoft Teams on 15–16 October 2026.
Each team will argue twice. Teams will represent both the Petitioner and Respondent. Each round will last 30 minutes.
The organisers will select the top eight teams for the Quarter-Final Rounds based on their overall performance, including Speaker and Memorial scores.
Phase II: Offline Rounds
The Researcher’s Test, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final will take place at UPSIFS, Lucknow.
The Researcher’s Test will contain 50 multiple-choice questions. Researchers will get 30 minutes to complete the test.
The Quarter-Finals will follow a knockout format. The Semi-Finals and Final will also use a knockout format. The Final Round will last 120 minutes.
Registration Fee
The registration fee is ₹3,000 per team. This fee covers participation in the online Preliminary Rounds.
The top eight teams that qualify for the offline phase must also pay an Accommodation & Hospitality Fee of ₹1,000 per person. This fee includes accommodation and meals during the offline phase.
The brochure states that the registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.
Teams can pay through bank transfer or the payment method specified in the official registration instructions.
Awards
The competition offers cash prizes, trophies, medals and merit certificates.
- Winner: ₹30,000 + Trophy + Merit Certificate + Medal + Paid Internship with Mr. Aditya Giri, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India
- Runner-Up: ₹20,000 + Trophy + Merit Certificate + Medal + Paid Internship
- Best Researcher: ₹7,000 + Trophy + Merit Certificate + Medal + Paid Internship
- Best Speaker: ₹7,000 + Trophy + Merit Certificate + Medal + Paid Internship
- Best Memorial: ₹7,000 + Trophy + Merit Certificate + Medal + Paid Internship
The Winner will also receive three one-year complimentary academic subscriptions to SCC Online Web Edition, stated in the brochure to be worth ₹96,000.
All registered participants will receive e-certificates of participation.
How to Register
Interested teams should complete the registration process through the prescribed registration form. After successful registration and payment verification, the Primary Contact Person will receive a confirmation email containing the team’s allotted Team Code.
The Team Code will be used for official communication with the Organising Committee.
Participants should also read the Official Rulebook before registering. The rulebook contains detailed provisions on memorial formatting, evaluation, scoring, oral rounds, the Researcher’s Test, conduct, scouting and penalties.
The brochure states that the Official Rulebook will prevail if any conflict arises between the brochure and the rulebook.
The registration form is provided as:
Registration: https://forms.gle/1stUPSIFS_NMCC
The brochure also provides a Google Drive link for the Moot Proposition, Official Rulebook and other competition documents.
Contact
For queries regarding the UPSIFS National Moot Court Competition 2026, participants can contact:
Email: upsifsnmcc2026@gmail.com
Website: www.upsifs.ac.in
Address:
Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science
Aurawan, P.O. Banthra
Lucknow – 226401, Uttar Pradesh
The organising committee has also provided student coordinators’ contact numbers in the official brochure.
Students interested in national moot court competitions should review the official documents carefully before completing registration.
